The Autodesk Data Management Server Installation Guide contains detailed recommendations for configuring your Vault installation.
A single-site configuration is recommended for most teams. The Vault Server is installed on one system and the Vault client component is installed on each computer that must communicate with that server. The server stores all master copies of data files, and the clients can access the files stored on the server. For best performance, a dedicated server is recommended for both the file store and the shared metadata.
Vault single-site architecture
You have flexibility within this model to choose a configuration that suits your requirements, based on criteria such as the number of users who must share data, how your users are divided into design teams, and the amount of project data you expect your users to generate. Refer to the Autodesk Vault Server Installation Guide for more details.
After Vault is installed, you can decide to create a single vault (database) or multiple vaults on the server. User permissions apply within a single vault, and cannot be shared across vaults. For more information on the difference between a single vault configuration and a multiple vault configuration, see Autodesk Vault Server Installation Guide.
Vault’s optional multi-site feature is designed to support geographically dispersed workgroups sharing vaults. A single instance of remote SQL manages multiple servers, each with its own file store, at separate office sites. Depending on their level of permissions, all users can see all files at all sites as if the system was a single database.
Vault multi-site architecture
When a user checks out a file that is stored at another site, the system replicates that file at the user’s site. As long as the file remains shared, the system remembers to update that copy with any changes. Vaults and individual files are replicated only where they are really in use. Backup and restore operations can be managed from any site that has all vaults enabled. For more information, see Autodesk Vault Help.